Archive for the ‘Other’ Category

My home town, Duluth, Minnesota, is a couple hours from the Canadian border, and heavily dependent upon Canadians for its economy – shopping, medical care, and tourism.

In all the decades I lived there, Canadians were welcome, and even when exchange rates weren’t favorable for the neighbors to the north, Duluth merchants happily accepted the currency at par.

The one thing the city never did do was feature “Canadian cuisine,” (or beer) but in the past few years, that’s started to change, with a number of restaurant offering the national snack of Canada, poutine, and also a new addition that offers Montreal Smoked Meat, another Canadian favorite.

Grandma’s fries were hot, crispy and seasoned perfectly, the house made gravy perfect. A problem? Only slight. On most poutine, the cheese melts into the fries and gravy for a depth of flavor. Deep fried curds don’t melt!

Although I had heard about it for years, in all the times I have been to , I had never made time to visit the Varsity. I was there last week, and oh, so many years wasted.

For the unwashed, the Varsity is the world’s largest hot dog stand. Covering two acres in downtown , with parking for 600 cars, and seating for 800, the Varsity has been dishing up dogs, burgers, fries, rings, and their famous “Frosted Orange” beverage since 1928 under the watchful eye of Frank Gordy and his descendants.

Initially operating under the name “The Yellow Jacket” Gordy served hot dogs and bottled Coca-Cola (what else in ?) to Georgia Tech students. Not wishing to limit his clientele to one particular school, the name change came shortly thereafter, along with the move to the present location.

When you sidle up to the counter, and hear the famous cry from the clerks: “What’ll ya have, what’ll ya have?” it helps to know the proper retort. There’s much more, but this will get you past the basics of ordering:

Hot Dog: Hot dog with chili and mustard

Heavy weight: Same as hot dog but with extra chili

Naked Dog: Plain hot dog in a bun

MK Dog: Hot dog with mustard and ketchup

Regular C Dog: Hot dog with chili, mustard and ketchup

Red Dog: Ketchup only

Yellow Dog: Mustard only

Yankee Dog: Same as a yellow dog

Walk a Dog (or Steak): Hot dog to go

Steak: Hamburger with mustard, ketchup, and pickle

Chili Steak: Hamburger with Varsity chili

Glorified Steak: Hamburger with mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato

There are 5 locations these days . But the original is the place for the complete Varsity experience. Bring the kids, but not much money. A meal at the Varsity is well under five bucks. Unless you order like I do.

I’ve been blessed to have lived in some of the great food cities of the world; and there’s always at least one local favorite I miss when I have moved away from those burgs – Italian beef from Chicago, po-boys from New Orleans to mention two.

Heating roast beef correctly in au jus is an art form, if the temp is just a 1/10th of a degree too hot (it seems to me) it’s easy for your beef to end up curled and chewy. Many in Portland have tried to master the art of the basic dip sandwich, purportedly invented in Los Angeles at either Cole’s or Philippes, both of whom claim bragging rights.

In both Chicago and New Orleans, who has the best beef dip (respectively, “Italian Beef” or “Roast Beef Po-Boy”) can lead to heated arguments, if not downright brawls.

In Portland, there can seem to be no question, the title goes to “Wagsy’s Hot Beef Sandwiches”, a cart at SW Fifth and Oak. I’ve tried the rest, and now I’ve found the best.

These guys have created a menu based around different variations of beef dip, and after the first bite of the “Chi-Town”, I was hooked. An ample quantity of quality, thin-sliced roast beef, on very fresh bread, served “wet”, and in beef dip terms, that means the loaf is dipped in the au jus slightly for a taste and texture sensation.

The home town version in Chicago is highly flavored with garlic and herbs, but Wagsy’s have toned this down, I suspect, for a wider audience, and for my palate, it’s just perfect.

For five bucks, it’s a very filling sandwich, and it comes with a small ramekin of a vegetable medley (giardiniera) which you may dress the sandwich with if that’s your preference.

A nice finishing touch is provided with a wet nap and toothpick taped to the sandwich box.

Wagsy’s offers some other interpretations of the dip, a Philly style, and a BBQ one, as well as a veggie choice.

Good job guys. You’ve a winning combination. I can easily see a leap to multiple city brick and mortars in your future. Find Wagsy’s on Facebook, too.

It’s as “thick as pea soup”, an old adage goes. Well, just how thick IS pea soup supposed to be? And what WAS as “thick as pea soup?”

To the latter, it was a reference to the fogs that use to settle in on the United Kingdom, back in the days when factories and homes burned coal for fuel. If one used yellow peas, instead of green, it was referred to as “London Particular”, after that yellow hued smog of coal-burning days. To the former? As thick as your personal taste requires!

In literature, pea soup is often referred to as food for the poor. Cheap and easy to fix. The recipe doesn’t vary much around the world, but the significance it plays in cuisines varies. It’s an “important “dish in Britain, Germany, and Scandinavia. In the US, it is simply one of a variety of the hundreds of soups we have available to us in restaurants or supermarkets.

So what’s the hubbub?

Somewhere recently, I came across a couple of cans of “Andersen’s Creamy Split Pea” soup. Now in the US, usually “split pea” would refer to there being bits of peas in the soap, whereas “regular pea soup”. would be a puree. Such is the case with Andersen’s, manufactured by Advanced Food Products of Visalia, CA.

But where does the “Andersens” come from? One would assume it to be a relatively easy question for residents or tourists to the West Coast of America. They are used to seeing outdoor posters along the highways for “Pea Soup Andersen’s” – with the cartoon characters of “Hap-pea“ and “Pea-Wee” adorning the boards, and usually a visual of the trademark “windmill” that adorned the Buellton location.

In trying to research this….I became nothing but confused. The reason I started the quest was because of the canned soup, which was pretty good. And I assumed since it was called “Andersens”, it more than likely was a licensed product of the restaurant in Buellton. But there is no reference to that on the soup website.

Nor is there a reference to the soup on the restaurant website. Nor is there a reference to the restaurant on the website of Pea Soup Andersen’s Motel. Nor is there a reference anywhere to the San Diego restaurant of the same name.

I do know I like the canned variety of Andersen’s Pea Soup, and the restaurant variety as well. They are both adequate subsitutes when Mrs. Burgerdogboy hasn’t whipped up a pot of her home-made pea soup, which is da bomb! That’s all.

Bada bing! Mort’s has been around so long, I am sure they catered to Moses at some point.

Tucked in a strip mall, at the back of a grocery store parking lot, Mort’s is a full-service traditional delicatessen (restaurant and meat counter) with an attached bakery.

This used to be a regular haunt of mine when I lived in the ‘hood, and I don’t get back there often enough, tho this trip, I managed to squeeze out two visits, once for a sandwich, and another time to load up on hard salami and ham to tote home.

A plain, lean, over-stuffed corned beef sandwich is an item that is (surprisingly) difficult to find (prepared, that is) in my town, so I welcomed the chance to grab one to go at Mort’s.

It didn’t disappoint.

Mort’s menu is online. When traveling the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, check out Mort’s sometime. On the other coast, in New York, be sure grab a sammich from the Carnegie Deli - they also distribute their beef rounds to selected groceries.

(From our travel archives) Every time I go to Cincinnati, I just want to hit the chili dog stands. There are hundreds of them, and I’ve written about them before in this space. This trip, we skipped the hot dogs in favor of the hottest new places in town – Jean Robert at Pigall’s.

This essay could be subtitled, “the case of the chef that skipped,” for Jean Robert Cavel was formerly the chef at the five star Maisonette, one of the most well known eateries in Cincy. Classy but unpretentious, Jean Robert has the city talking – and eating. The restaurant offers creative, but not outlandish preparations of classic French cuisine, and seafood choices dominate.

Diners have two choices of prix fixe menus – a three course selection at $75 each, which does not include beverages, or a five course experience at $140 per person, which includes wine with each course.

The restaurant is comfortably appointed with woods, chandeliers, and neutral tones. The room gives an airy, not crowded feeling. Service is attentive but not overbearing.

I opted for the three course plate, as our host had specific wines that he wanted us to try. I started with an interesting twist on my old favorite of escargot, which was served in a slightly sweet “savory” sauce, much akin to Emeril’s version of barbecued shrimp. From there, I moved to veal medallions, which the server suggested be served at medium rare, and it was some of the best veal I have ever tasted.

While my fellow diners opted for desserts on the sweet, but heavenly side, I opted for Jean Robert’s cheese plate, which presented six contrasting cheeses splayed out in order of sharpness.

Jean-Robert at Pigall’s was named one of the top 75 new restaurants in the world by Conde-Nast, just six months after opening. That was two years ago. I’m sure a repeat visit by the judges would find it the same. A wonderful experience.

I’d always meant to get to Caro Amico with Mrs. Burgerdogboy for a romantic dinner; we thought it might be great because we had enjoyed their food via Delivered Dish (www.d-dish.com) and its position, on a hillside overlooking the river, might have made for some dreamy views.

We never got there as a couple, but I was spot on about my feelings with regards to all the rest, as evidenced by this report from a recent visit.

“We loved the place, liked the big windows, the view and fantastic atmosphere; the service was great, the waiter friendly.

We started with the Caesar with prawns, which was romaine lightly dressed with olive oil, rather than a typical Caesar dressing, and the prawns were warm with a hint of garlic flavor. The entire salad was generously dusted with Parmesan and finely chopped croutons.

For our mains, he went with Chicken Parmesan, one of his favorite meals, which was a large plump breast, very juicy, served with a colorful array of sautéed veggies, and penne with marinara. The breading on the chicken was light, not overbearing, and the breast may have been brined ahead of time for extra flavor.

Chicken Parmesan

She opted for the Canzano Calzone, stuffed with chicken, bacon, green peppers and pepperoncini. The crust was thin and crisp, and the marinara was some of the finest she had ever consumed. She would have liked a bowl of it all on its own, she said.

For dessert, we went with the dense and delicious cheesecake, topped with whipped crème and a raspberry sauce so yummy she wanted to lick the plate clean.

Often overlooked by locals, even though it was Portland’s first Italian restaurant, it continues to please on every level.”

When I was living in China, it didn’t take long for me to figure out the Chinese have a deathly fear of the letter “T”. I learned this watching their television news, every time Taiwan, Tibet, or Tiananmen would come on the news, the story would be bleeped out. See what i mean?

Last week, I figured out that I LOVE foods with a “double T”. This will greatly simplify my life going forward, as I can focus on eating the things I love, Tater Tots, Tongue Tacos, Texas Toast, Tuna Tartare, Truffle Toast, and there must be more. Fast food chicken outfit Zaxby’s includes texas toast with every order, worth a stop on its own!

Cool. No longer will Mrs. Burgerdogboy and I have to order an entire side of a menu (and we have!) , we can just skip straight to the T’s!

What am I doing reviewing a chain of movie theaters? Just letting you know how impressed I was with this operation. For first run movies, value pricing, clean facilities, enthusiastic employees, reasonable concessions, this family owned chain of theaters in suburban Chicago is just the ticket for your night out. Classic Cinemas 13 theaters are strategically located across Chicagoland, and the company has been around since starting with one theater in 1978.

A first run movie will cost your $5 all day Tuesday,any day matinees, if you’re a kid or over 60. Most other times it’s just a couple bucks more. Here’s the rub. Ready? Wait for it. Free refills on popcorn and soda. Wow.

I’ve been out to a movie in other cities and the evening has cost me over $50, each. Today, first run movie, soda, corn, less than $20. The movie? Bill Murray in St. Vincent. Superb.

A registered trademark since 1940, “Butterball” came into wide use in the 60s by Swift & Company and the brand was eventually spun to ConAgra. Today the line of fresh and frozen turkeys and a host of turkey derived products is owned by Kansas based Seaboard Corporation, a diversified multinational, that also operates other food companies like Prairie Fresh pork products, heat and eat pork products featuring Sweet Baby Ray’s sauces, and Daily’s processed pork products, like bacon, hams, and sausage. Vertically integrated in the pork business, Seaboard owns their own kill plants, processing 19,000 hogs daily at their Guymon, OK location.

Today Butterball, based in North Carolina, sells over a billion pounds of turkey annually, which includes the processed products, like hot dogs, sausage, cold cuts, bacon, and ground turkey. (Do you realize that a billion pounds translates roughly into 66 million turkey legs? Who knew there was enough Renaissance Fairs to handle all that product?)

One such product is a heat and eat meal, “Everyday Chef Selects” Turkey Breast and Gravy. This 15 ounce package can be heated as a boiling bag or 5-6 minutes in the microwave, and seems pretty straightforward on the ingredient side. According to the package, this product is put together at Smithfield’s RMH Foods plant in Morton, IL, USDA establishment 17789B (pictured below).

The most important thing about the ingredient list is that it does NOT include the phrase “may contain a solution of XX %……To me, brine injected beef, pork, and poultry has the most horrible texture. I just can’t stomach (or chew) it.

So I went with the boiling bag heating option, simmered for about seven minutes (after bringing the water to a boil). I was pleased to open the bag and find actual ‘chunks’ of turkey muscle meat, and not “chopped, pressed, and formed” slices. Whew. This product is good, surprisingly good. And for the single person or couple that can’t or doesn’t want to shell out $25 – $30 for a whole turkey,and go to the hassle of fixing a huge holiday meal, this is a good solution. Product plated, pictured below (mashed potatoes not included in package). I generally don’t enjoy reheated poultry of any kind, but this product doesn’t give you that tactile/taste sensation. I’d buy it again. I might stock up if they can be frozen. Time to make a call!

The only exception I take with the packaging is that it suggests it serves “three.” Doubtful.

There’s probably not a person in the country that doesn’t know you can contact the Butterball Hotline (1-800-BUTTERBALL) (800-288-8372) during holiday periods, or check their website for everything you’ve ever wanted to know about cooking a turkey.